The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly on Saturday undertook a massive cleanup exercise to rid the area of filth.
The exercise which started as early as 6:00 a.m. saw the residents disilting chocked drains, and cleared bushy surroundings at the Tema station, Osu RE, Angola road, the Social Security and Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Specialist Hospital, the Art centre and the Apollo theatre.
Businesses remained closed till after 12noon as directed by the assembly.
At the Tema station, the hawkers had finished sweeping as at 7:00a.m. while the men among them including the various drivers unions helped the Assembly staff dredge the chocked drains.
The Municipal Environmental Officer of the Assembly, Mr Victor Acquaye, told the Ghanaian Times that the infant Municipality was always the first point of call for any visitor in Accra, hence the motivation to keep it tidy.
According to him the president’s vision to make Accra the neatest capital city in Africa would be a mirage if residents did not help in cleaning the mess they caused.
Mr Acquaye explained that keeping a healthy environment was a shared responsibility that was why all business activities were halted so that everyone could partake in the exercise.
“The slightest flood would seriously derail the economic gains by the government and the assembly which is less than a year old,” he said.
He stated that the assembly were responsible for supplying tools of the exercise with the residents made to understand that it was their duty to help clean up their communities and the idea paid off.
Mr Acquaye said letters would be sent to every area and those who refused to participate in the exercise would be fined and if they failed to pay the fine, they would be dragged to courts.
The officer stated that the next concentration would be at the markets to ensure foodstuffs were sold under hygienic conditions, adding that the assembly would undertake periodic checks to sustain the exercise.
BY LAWERENCE AKPALU
